The Pure Dawn
by Angel Weasel-Woman
Summary: A tragedy befalls the Hyuuga clan and Hinata is ranked as an SClass criminal. When she flees Konohagakure no sato, she stumbles upon two certain members of the Akatsuki and a great deal of truths are revealed.
1. My Dress

"Hinata! What are you doing out here?"

The small girl jumped at her father's harsh voice, twirling about to face him. Clasping her hands over her chest and pulling her arms close to her body, she bowed and peered up through her eyelashes at him. "I - I always come out here… T-to read…"

Hiashi scanned over the small garden, the sight of pastel flowers swaying in a gentle wind causing no reaction in his white eyes. The koi pond flashed in the afternoon sun, the towering oak tree casting a cool shadow over a small portion of the water. Off in the distance, the brick wall surrounding the estate was hardly visible. He cast his glance to the young woman before him, noting the leather-bound book held to her chest. Snorting, he told Hinata, "Don't bother ever coming back. Hanabi will be using this area for her training."

The young woman's eyes widened, but she bit down on her bottom lip to keep from saying anything. Lowering pure orbs, she ignored the soft hissing voice in the back of her mind and quickly passed her father by, feeling his eyes piercing her shoulder blades.

As Hinata passed by, stepping up on the porch, she accidentally brushed up against nineteen-year-old Hanabi. The younger glared, flowing black hair drifting over her shoulder as she yelled, "Watch where you are going, failure."

Hinata winced but bowed, apologizing profoundly for her fault and quickly ducking into the house, fighting back tears.

_Weakling_, came the voice. _Just a regular doormat._

"Be quiet," Hinata breathed, wincing. "Please."

_Just leave. Rid them of you. Why haven't you done this before?_

The girl stumbled into her room, sliding the door closed and leaning heavily against it. Crystalline tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping down onto her chest as she bowed her head.

_Or, even better – rid you of them._

Her head snapped up and she stared at the nothingness ahead of her in horror.

_Yes… Just like the Uchiha clan. No one will mind a few more deaths, especially in a ninja village._

"I can't!" Hinata cried, dropping her book and clasping her hands over her ears. "I can't – I refuse!" Shaking her head roughly, she ran to her closet, ducking inside and curling up on her stored bedroll. Shutting her eyes to the world, tears pushing past her eyelids, she curled into a tight ball and awaited the blissful oblivion of sleep to overtake her.

* * *

She walked out of her bathroom, confused by the soft noises she heard. Entering her room across the hall, she started at the sight of Hiashi surveying her wardrobe.

"F… father? What are you… I mean, if you would tell me… a–anou…"

"I was looking for something like this," the man replied, ignoring Hinata's stuttering and pulling something from her closet.

The dark haired woman gasped when she saw her only dress held in Hiashi's hand.

Her saved–every–yin–she–ever–earned–for–eight–months dress.

Her only–worn–once–to–try–it–on dress.

"What are you doing with my dress?" Hinata demanded before clasping her hands over her mouth in horror.

Hiashi sent her a glare that would have frozen the fieriest of all hells before turning about to slam the back of his hand into the woman's cheek. "Don't ever speak to me like that again – do you understand child?"

Sliding one hand to her reddening flesh and feeling hot tears washing over her fingers, she nodded, but her mind remained focused on her dress.

Her father continued to watch her for a moment longer before turning and leaving, dress still trapped in his fist. With blinded eyesight, she stumbled after him, one hand remaining over her mouth and the other stretched out to one side to guide her. Down the halls she followed Hiashi, terror and rage building within her at each step.

Finally, they entered the main room where she saw a golden flame blazing in the fireplace casting a flickering light over a small pile nearby.

Why was there a fire in the midst of summer? Hinata thought as Hiashi stood before the golden heat. No one is coming over and… Her eyes widened as she focused on the objects near the fireplace and she cried, "What are you doing with my books?"

"I finally took the initiative," Hiashi said calmly, though his eyes could have rivaled the flames before him as they burned with rage at Hinata's second defiance, "to look though your library, and I have found several very inappropriate books." He kicked the objects over and Hinata saw several of her favorite titles such as The Mammoth Hunters, Witches Night Out, The Vampire Lestat, and Dealing With Dragons.

Terror continued to well in Hinata's eyes as she looked at her books – her escapes from her Hell known as Life. "W… what are you doing with my books? And my dress?"

"No child living under my jurisdiction with be tolerated with these kinds of _filth_," Hiashi snarled, Byakugan activating in his fury. He drew back the fist that held the dress, the white cloth fluttering like it knew his intention, and hurled it into the fire.

Hinata stuffed her fingers in her mouth, biting town on them, to stifle a shriek as her other hand fisted in her hair. Tears poured from her eyes as flames blackened and befouled the silken cloth as though raping a virgin. She could feel her dress's burning pain all thought her body, forcing her to her knees as Hiashi began tossing her precious books into Hell.

The young woman howled and dropped her hands, pressing her forehead to the dirty, wooden floor, mocking a bow and bawling. Hiashi threw A Demon In My View into the flames, content to be rid of all that fictitious crap that might have poisoned Hanabi's mind and turned to his mess of a daughter, sneering at her huddled form as she shuddered with sobs.

"Your room is cleansed but your soul is still black as you weep for these sinful items. Go to your room and fast to purify your spirit."

Hinata bit down on her fist and could barely even bring herself to her hands and knees as she crawled away, stumbling back into her room. For minutes more, her chest heaved and her hear cried even after her body had run out of tears.

Her eyes and cheeks itched and burned from the dried salt, but she ignored them in favor of listening to the voice hissing in the back of her mind.

_Poor child,_ it was telling her soothingly. _To have your dress – and the books! Your precious books! – all burned in front of you… You shouldn't have to go though that…And you wouldn't have had to if you had listened earlier._

"I know," she breathed, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head upon them. "I know… I'll listen."

_Good… Very good…_

* * *

She shifted uncomfortably as sharp, cold steel pressed into her spine. A small trickle of blood ran down her flesh and she stood straighter, praying the liquid didn't stain through her shirt and jacket.

Dark, she thought amidst a tumble of others. Should have been darker. Wouldn't see.

Stepping out of her room and into the bright hall, she didn't even wince when the sunlight struck her eyes, now activated into the Byakugan, but instead she welcomed the pain, allowing it to deepen the swirling void of thoughts. Continuing down the hall, he steps light and a manic glint in her enhanced eyes, it wasn't long before she stepped out onto the patio, garden just under a mile out, though, with her blood stimulated, she could plainly see it and the five clan members as though her were trolling though it.

"Books…" she mumbled, stalking off towards Hanabi as she trained.

* * *

The young woman placed her hands on her knees, panting heavily and feeling her lungs burning from that evening's training. Reaching out, she took the bottle of water the Branch member offered and took a long drink.

"I will excuse you this time," Hiashi told Hanabi, watching the girl's eyes flick up to meet his, "but you must not make light of showing weakness in front of others. That was why your sister was disowned and why you shall receive punishment."

Hanabi flipped a few strands of sticky hair out of her sweaty face as was about to reply when Hinata stepped into view. "What are you doing here, failure?"

Hiashi turned about and his eyes narrowed as he demanded, "What are you doing? I told you not to leave your room."

"My books…" Hinata giggled, Byakugan pulsing, hands behind her back, and rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet like a child who knows something others don't. "And my dress. They all hurt. They were hurt bad, you now, father. And they screamed. They screamed and screamed and got mad."

"Hinata–sama," Aye, one of the Branch members, called, stepping forward and casting a nervous glance at Hiashi. "Please, you're making Hiashi–sama mad."

"I'm making him mad?" Hinata suddenly shrieked, dropping her childish pose and causing all but her father to jump. "I'm making _him_ mad? He's already made _me_ mad!"

Without any further warning, she pulled a seven–inch dagger from a sheath hidden along her spine and drove it into Aye's chest.

"My books…"

Hinata snarled, yanking the blade free, splashing herself with blood, Aye's body falling lifelessly to the ground.

"My dress..."

She turned to the others.

"We..."

The blade rose.

"Are..."

Hanabi felt her spine hit a tree as she backed away from her sister.

"_Pissed_!"

* * *

I've wanted to write this for a while, but I've never been able to figure out how to start, so – here you are. First chapter up. And, because I can't think of anything else to say, Itachi – say the disclaimer.

Itachi: Angel doesn't own Naruto or any of the books mentioned (all of which are very good -hinthint-), so don't sue.

Angel: So, till next time!


	2. Running

Hinata could never remember running so fast before in her life. Leaves slapped her, twigs ripped into her skin, root slashed out like snakes to trip her, causing her to tear the flesh of her hands and knees, adding to the blood that already coated her body.

She couldn't even remember it.

All she knew was red.

And screams.

And she had… enjoyed it.

She felt like vomiting, but that would mean stopping.

She had already run past the gates of Konoha.

Her lungs burned and her heart ached, but she refused to rest. If she did, then the memory would resurface and she would have to face the nightmare she brought upon herself.

The single sliver of moonshine vanished behind a dark cloud and a deep snarl filled the air. A flash of light illuminated her world and the sky fell, soaking her through her clothes at once and freezing her to the bone. Her foot caught a rock and she slammed into the still–forming mud, splashing herself and nearly cracking her head open in the process. Blood washed from her flesh, mixing into the wet earth and tainting it a soft crimson.

"Away," she panted, hearing the voice, now jarred back by pain. "Away… I don't… please."

Something sharp slashed her palm as she attempted to crawl further away and she groaned, slumping to the ground, unable to keep her eyes open any longer.

* * *

"It was terrible," Tsunade could remember Hanabi whimper, blanket draped about her shoulders, arm in a sling, and blood still clinging to her hair. "She just started giggling and crying and screaming all at the same time. And then… And then…"

At least when Uchiha Itachi had murdered off his entire clan he had done just that. But Hinata…

She shuddered at the sight of wide, glassy eyes staring up at her as thought asking where the rest of his body was.

… Had mutilated.

"Like some kind of rabid animal," Hanabi had described.

"Hokage–sama." The voice of an ANBU member, echoing from behind a wooden mask, jarred Tsunade from her thoughts. "There are twenty–three dead – twelve more than Hanabi described. All in more or less the same shape as these poor souls."

"Twenty–three… And all this severe…" The Hokage sighed softly. "I never would have expected this out of her."

"_You_ never would have expected it?" The ninja pushed up his fox mask to reveal two shimmering blue eyes. "I was in her classes for six years and _I_ never expected it. She was always to quiet and polite…"

"You're not supposed to show your face while you're on duty," Tsunade reminded absently, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "But I did train her personally in the healing arts for two years, Naruto. I got to know her better."

Naruto rested a hand over Tsunade's, an adult's comforting touch still a rarity to him, and gently leaned against her for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he stood tall and pulled the mask back over her face, wood distorting his voice as he spoke, "Then that makes her all the more dangerous."

* * *

"Well, would you look at that."

"Who is it?"

"I dunno. Looks dead. Think he has supplies on him?"

"… Check."

Footsteps squished in crimson mud. The still body was roughly shoved over.

"Whaddaya know, the 'he' is a she.' Couldn't tell from the hair."

"A hitai–ate. Check for wires. We might have to leave quickly."

* * *

Hinata internally flinched as her body was suddenly jarred, aching muscles demanding rest. Rough hands roamed her flesh under her shirt, running up her spine and over her stomach, dipping down to her inner thighs and caressing her neck.

"Nothing. Not a bug – literal or otherwise – on her anywhere."

She wanted to cry – she could feel the tears stinging the backs of her eyelids – at being cheated by Death. Why couldn't he have taken her while she slept? Did he have to torture her? Was this her punishment?

"And supplies?"

"Not a thing. Looks like she's just kinda here."

Hinata gave a hiccupping sob and her body was dropped from a start of surprise.

"Holy shit! She's alive!"

"Please," she whimpered, refusing to open her eyes. "Please just… rape me, kill me – whatever! Just leave me _alone_ afterwards…"

"You… _want_ this?"

"I deserve it… I killed… I _murdered_ and I… liked it…"

"And?"

The voice was filled with such a mocking of curiosity that her eyes flew open and she was greeted with the most peculiar sight of a man with long black hair and blazing crimson eyes bending over to look down at her and a second with flesh a light blue, eyes like black coals and hair several shades darker than his skin. Both wore htai–ate with deep gashes across the country symbol and black cloaks with blood red clouds upon them.

"So have we."

* * *

Yay – second chapter done at –checks clock– three in the morning. –yawn– I'm going to bed now. Night.

Kedit: ……. Fine! I'll say it! Angel doesn't own Naruto.

Angel: Zzzz…..


	3. Found

Itachi peered down at this odd girl with eyes so white they reflected the silvery moonlight perfectly and hair an even deeper black than the star dappled sky. Her attire was ruined with mud and stained with crimson blood, though he could see no sign of attack. For a moment, his mind raced, attempting to decipher from where those eyes looked so familiar.

"W… who are you?" the girl whimpered softly, eyes darting back and forth between the two men.

"That all depends," Kisame said in a deep, rumbling voice that sent shivers down the girl's spine. "Who are you?"

"H-Hyuuga Hinata," she replied automatically.

Instantly, the name Hyuuga clicked in Itachi's mind, conjuring up several facts – several among them being the _Jyuken_ style fighting technique unique to the clan and how to counter it.

"A Hyuuga, huh," Kisame continued, one hand discreetly searching out a kunai. "And just what would such a pretty thing from such a prestigious clan be doing out here, begging for death, Hinata-_chan_?"

"I told you," Hinata whimpered, tears welling in her eyes and streaming down her face. "I killed the people in my clan – a lot of them. A-and I was… _happy_ to do it…"

"How many?" Itachi finally spoke, voice soft and low. "Did you kill _everyone_? Did you make your entire family suffer completely at your hands?" Hinata's eyes flew to his face and he instantly threw up his calm, cold mask, but he was certain that she had seen the brief flash of pain.

"Y… You're Uchiha Itachi," she murmured, pushing herself up on one arm and clasping to the other over her chest. Her gaze turned to Kisame and she breathed, "You're… You're…" Terror and emptiness was replaced by confusion. "That… shark-man?"

"I'm Hoshigaki Kisame," he growled with a wince and Itachi fought to conceal a smirk. One of the shark's hands reached out trailing up Hinata's thigh as Kisame let a lecherous grin slide over his features and said, "And I happen to like pretty things, even if you are a bit of a dumb bitch."

Itachi wasn't sure if it was the insult or the proximity of Kisame's hand to her personal parts (or very possibly _both_), but there was a loud _crack_ and Kisame was clutching his bright red, throbbing cheek. The indignation in the girl's posture vanished as the last echoes of her slap dissipated and a red flush of embarrassment replaced that of rage.

"I… I'm sorry!" she cried, flustered. "I mean – I'm not – ano, I didn't mean to – but I did – I…" She bowed as low as she could in a sitting position. "Forgive me."

"You got spunk girl," Kisame said, sitting back with a grin and rubbing his cheek. "But that damn stutter is pissing me off."

Itachi saw the flash of anger and annoyance in the girl's eyes, but she did nothing but bow and apologize again. He looked to the sky, catching a glimpse of the moon between the clouds and said, "She has nothing on her and we must leave, Kiame. We don't have much time."

Kisame nodded and stood. The duo was about to take off when Hinata called out to them.

"What do you want?" Kisame asked with a quirked brow. "You said you wished for death, correct?"

"Ano, yes, but I…"

"I can tell what you're thinking – you want to come with us. I, personally, think that we should just leave you here to finish what you started _yourself_ or let some of the animals have a go at you. However…" Kisame turned to Itachi. "What do you think?"

"I don't care. If you lead us into a trap, we will kill you, understand?" Hinata nodded slightly and Itachi continued. "If you fall behind, you will be _left_ behind. If you are injured, you take care of yourself. We do not rest often and not for long. If you bitch, moan, or complain, I will rip out your throat, got that?"

"Y… yes, sir."

"Kisame, let's go."

Neither man waited for Hinata to even pull herself out of the mud before they leapt off into the darkness of night.

* * *

Naruto didn't even bother knocking as he ran into Tsunade's office, shoving his mask to the top of his head and calling out, "Obaachan!"

Tsunade looked up, green-blue eyes set in a glare. "How many times have I told you to –"

"She's with Akatsuki."

The Hokage's rant on politeness was cut short and she pursed her lips together in a tight, thin line. "You are certain?"

"There's no mistaking that stutter." A glare was passed his way and he continued, "And I scanned her chakra – absolutely the same."

Tsunade pressed her fingertips to her temples and groaned, feeling a migraine coming on. Her eyes flicked back and forth, as though reading something that wasn't there. Finally, she sighed and Naruto felt his heart clench in foreboding at her next words.

"Send out a message to all Shinobi over Genin-stage. Have them meet before me in the gathering hall immediately."

"Yes, ma'am," Naruto said quietly, vanishing in a swirl of smoke.

Tsunade looked at the wilting rose on the corner of her desk, a belated birthday present from the now absent blonde. It had been a beautiful thing, red as her lips and, as Naruto had said, possibly hoping for a lax in his work schedule that day, leaves that were such a deep green that they made her eyes even prettier by comparison.

A dulled petal dropped from the small gift, slowlydrifting down to the old oak desk as Tsunade rested her forehead on crossed arms and cried.

* * *

W00tness. I typed up the next bit. I'm so happy

Nine: I'm sure you are, torturing the poor girl like that.

Angel: Hey, I'm mean to the chars I like.

Nine: I wasn't aware of that… It never really seems to show in your writings.

Angel: Then you haven't been hanging out in my head for a few months now. I'm terrible.

Nine: … I don't _want_ to get into your head. I might not come back.

Angel: Then it all works out perfectly. And since you seem to be the only one awake, you say the disclaimer.

Nine: Fine, fine. Angel doesn't own Naruto no matter what she might say otherwise.

Angel: So, till next time!


	4. S Class Criminal

Hinata watched the two men before her, sitting under the fragrant branches of an ancient pine, plucking the dried mud from her body and shivering in the pre-dawn chill. They had been traveling all night and at such a fast pace that Hinata wanted nothing more than to give in to her body's demands of rest, but she knew that her (captors? They weren't forcing her to go anywhere, but she couldn't exactly call them saviors or even companions…) would not wake her if she did. So thus, when they did decide to stop at a small grove of trees on a mountain in the middle of nowhere, she flopped down and began to clear away the grime covering her flesh, looking for wounds to heal so that her body would not have to exert any excess energy fighting off disease from infected wounds as Kisame began attempting to argue with Itachi (who wasn't offering much of a fight).

So engrossed in her task of healing was she that she didn't notice the way Itachi's eyes followed her every moment, widening ever so slightly at the glowing, healing light of her chakra. He paced away from Kisame (ho was growling out something about a fire) and up to Hinata where he stated quietly, "You know healing jutsu."

"Aa… yes. I-I trained with Tsunade-s-sama for a wh-while."

"How much do you know?"

"A-ano… I can heal most n-non-lethal wounds and speed up the recovery of a broken leg, b-but nothing too major." She turned her gaze to the ground and Itachi was surprised to hear a soft growl pass her throat as she grumbled scornfully, "I would have learned more but… _Father_ –" she spat out the word more like a dirty curse rather than a family term "– took me away. Said it wasn't _proper_ for _females_ to…" Suddenly, she flushed a deep red and her eyes flicked up to Itachi's emotionless face. "I-I'm sorry. I s-shouldn't have said… that…" She brought her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms about her calves, resting her chin on her knees, and peered off sadly into the dark recesses of the forest.

Itachi continued to watch her for a moment longer before retreating back to Kisame, telling them, "We will rest for another hour and a half. We will continue on _immediately_ afterwards."

Kisame quirked an eyebrow but decided against saying anything. If Itachi was willing to spend an extra hour of rest for the Hyuuga girl, then she must have something he wanted. All he had to do was figure out what it was.

* * *

The hawk watched from afar, the buzzing of insects relaying a message. He turned to the tiger that prowled the ground and spoke without sound.

_They're nearing the border._

The tiger's body shifted slightly, asking, _Will we reach them by nightfall?_

_Unlikely, if we were to reach them before so, we would be low on energy and most likely die._

A wolf stalked out to stand under the hawk's perch, and a grin could almost be seen on the frozen white and crimson face.

_That is the most I've ever seen you "speak"._

The hawk stilled completely, but the tiger motioned, _If we can not reach them, we will have to go back to Konoha so that Tsunade-sama can put out a new warning for all the villages._

* * *

Hinata cast a furtive glance behind her as she followed as close as she dared to the duo ahead, feeling sadness welling her heart when she realized that she couldn't see the walls surrounding the village she once lived. The village she had protected. The village she had… left.

"Don't look back," Kisame said, jarring her out of her nostalgia trip. "It only slows you down." The young woman blushed and stammered out an apology, but it only deepened the scowl on the shark's face. "And stop fucking apologizing – it's damn annoying."

She lowered her head, watching the ground pass her by with speeds that could snap bones – if not outright kill her – if she were to trip. A dying leaf was kicked up by the wind and she watched it flutter over her shoulder as she mumbled, "I'm sorry…"

* * *

Tsunade stared out the window, the wilting rose shifting in its vase at the soft brush of air that came from three ANBU suddenly appearing in her office. The tiger removed his mask and Neji told her, "They (she didn't have to ask who "they" were – no one did) are currently at the country border. They will pass over it in less than an hour."

The Hokage lowered her eyes, looking her true age for a moment as the light fell from her eyes and a deep sigh passed her lips. The words in her mind tumbled, start-over-end, echoing with finality she didn't wish to voice aloud. Silence descended on the quartet and Neji mutely slid his mask back into place.

Finally, Tsunade's eyes flicked to the dead flower on her desk and she said, "Send two Jounin out to each village with an ANBU squad accompanying them. Have them inform the village heads that Hyuuga Hinata, age twenty-four, is now and S-class missing-nin."

The ANBU nodded and vanished with a bow.

Tsunade rested her elbows on her desk and buried her face in her hands.

The final petal fell off the rose.

* * *

They were traveling in the Dead Land – the narrow, rocky valley between Iwagakure no sato and Takigakure no sato neither country claimed – when Hinata, the most tired member of the trio from a mixture of high speeds, little rest and doing more healing than she was used to, looked at the others and asked, "W… Where are we going?"

Itachi was too busy examining the large canyon wall, eyes flickering over the solid, brown-gray rock, so Kisame turned to the trembling girl with a toothy grin.

"We're going to Hell."

"H-Hell?" Hinata's already pale face whitened. "T-then, you're g-going to… to…" Her legs threatened to give out beneath her. They were going to kill her! The had dragged her out into the armpit of the continent (never mind that she had followed them willingly), tired her out (she didn't _have_ to heal all their wounds – she had merely wanted to do something useful instead of just being a burden), and now they were going to kill her! She should have expected this, really. She had killed too many to remain on the living plain. She should just accept that –

"We're here," Itachi's cold voice announced. He raised his left hand and Hinata vaguely noticed a small gold ring on his finger before there was a blinding flash of crimson light. She blinked rapidly, trying to remove the bright green and blue splotches from her vision and gasped.

The rock wall they had just been standing in front of now sported a large, man-made tunnel. There the sun's light ended, she could see a flickering orange glow – very possibly from a candle or a gas lamp – hidden partially by a sudden, sharp turn.

The two men brushed past her, entering the cavern without a second thought. As they were leaving the sunlight, Kisame looked over his shoulder and said, breaking Hinata out of her thoughts, "Welcome to the village of the Akatsuki. This is Tartarus."

* * *

Yay! It didn't take eight months to update this. And since I have to get to school in a few minutes, I'll just go ahead and load this without arguing with the bastards (AKA muses). I'll just say that I don't own Naruto and be done with it. So, till next time! 


	5. Tartarus

Hinata could hardly believe her eyes. After rushing to catch up to the two men, they had passed down the long, dreary tunnel that gradually grew wider and taller in a silence broken only by her shuffling footsteps and the occasional sound of rushing water. The glowing orange orbs (candles, she had found out after peering at one through her Byakugan) were spaced out so that when the light of one faded, a second began, leaving them to walk through pulses of light and dark which was beginning to make her feel dizzy and light-headed. She wasn't sure how far they traveled – she was far too weary to be concerned with that – but they eventually happened upon large iron gates with what looked like a coat of rust on the hinges. Tall metal towers brushed up against the cavern ceiling and a voice shouted out, "State or be killed."

State what? Flashed across Hinata's mind before Kisame and Itachi stepped forward and recited in perfect unison:

"_I am the way into the city of woe. _

_I am the way to a forsaken people. _

_I am the way into eternal sorrow. _

_Sacred justice was my architect. _

_I was raised here by divine omnipotence, _

_Primordial love and ultimate intellect. _

_Only those elements time cannot wear _

_Were made before me and beyond time I stand. _

_Abandon all hope, ye who enter here._"

There was a pause, then, "State your purpose intruder."

"Don't lie," Kisame hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "They _will_ know and they _will_ kill you… If you don't want that, that is."

If that was supposed to quell her quaking, it didn't exactly help.

"I-I… I followed th-them… I r-ran away from m-my village a-and… I d-didn't want t-to be… to b-be alone…"

Another pause filled the air so deep and so heavy that Hinata could feel her heart pounding in her throat, choking her. Blood rushed through her brain, the sound of pumping filled her ears and her knees began to wobble. They're going to kill me, the mantra began again. They're going to kill me… They're going to kill me… They're going to –

The gates parted – not with the rusty squeal she had been unconsciously been expecting, but with a profound silence – and Kisame clasped both her shoulders to push her after Itachi as he stalked through the entrance.

"Wh… what just happened?" Hinata asked quietly as an orange candle came into view, calming her nerves with its familiarity.

"We just passed through the gates of Hell," Itachi explained quietly.

"A-and why did you say that?"

"Do you know what it is?"

"O-of course!" Strength returned to her legs and she stood a bit straighter, hoping the shark would notice and release her. "It was the sign over the gate to Hell from The Inferno." Itachi favored her with a glance over his shoulder and she flushed, lowering her head. He continued to watch her for a moment and she began to squirm under his gaze. "I-if you don't w-want to t-tell me that's –"

"Whoever founded this village was a Dante freak," Kisame explained, releasing Hinata from his grasp with such a suddenity that it cause her to stumble slightly.

"W… What? A D-Dante…?"

"Freak. The entire village is based on the nine circles of Dante's Hell. But you won't be able to see all of it at first." He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Too bad I've never read Dante."

Hinata was about to comment on that when a thought popped into her head which she quietly voiced. "W-why are you t-telling me all this? W-what about the secrecy of th-the village?"

"It doesn't matter now." They turned a corner and a bright white light shone, signaling the end of the tunnel. "You got past the gate. If you attempt to run away now, we'll kill you before you can get beyond the entrance. Plain and simple."

Hinata gulped and nodded, a wave of fear washing over her. The light looked over them as they approached, coming closer and closer. Dread clenched her heart at the thought of what a village of runaway _shinobi_ – thieves and murderers – would look like. She could imagine blood splatters, destroyed buildings, bodies thrown to the streets.

Light passed over her, blinding her for a moment. When her vision came back, her breath caught in her throat.

* * *

Sasuke glowered behind a clam, cool mask, rage reaching out to clench his heart and claw at his neck where the curse seal lay dormant, as Naruto quietly explained the situation to him. He nodded curtly, but inside, angry thoughts pounded in his brain. 

Why her, damnit? Was he _still_ so weak that man would choose a fucking _girl_ over him? What more did he have to do to prove that he was ready to avenge his clan? He had nearly been successful in killing Naruto and had gained partial access to the Mangekyou Sharingan before he had been dragged back to Konoha. He had endured painful seal after seal in attempts to control the power Orochimaru had given him, only to break each and every one of the, again and again. He had taken on the most dangerous missions this pathetic village could offer him and completed them in record time.

Just what more could he do? What more did he have to prove to let that bastard know that he was strong enough to kill?

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice called, cutting though his thought straight to his brain. "Sasuke, don't do anything stupid."

The black-haired avenger grunted, fighting back the retort that rose in his throat that would only bring him closer to the blonde – closer to the weakness that would ultimately destroy him. Instead, he merely turned around and stalked to his apartment to begin planning just how he would bring that bastard's attention back to him.

* * *

Beautiful. Absolutely _gorgeous_. 

Those were the first thought to surface in Hinata's mind as she surveyed the hidden Akatsuki village. It was formed as a funnel, opening up wide above her, most likely moving into the wall of rock that had formed the canyon wall and gently sloping down in thick rings until it suddenly cut off. There were stairwells hidden, melding into the rock and earth that led down the different levels where she could see building – all kept to beautifully – of all sizes and intent. Goodness… Just off to her left, not ten meters away, was an underground waterfall cascading down from the ring above them to the very bottom ring! So that had been the source of rushing water, she thought to herself. And the people…

She could recall being in Tsunade's office healing a dog when an ANBU officer had come in to report on the Akatsuki. He had mentioned something about fifteen confirmed identities from a few villages, but nothing like _this_. This was more that fifteen.

This was more than a hundred.

This was possible more than a thousand!

Over a thousand rogue ninja controlling the Dead Land, reaching deep into the Earth, having molded the unmoving stone into an inhabitable realm, taking on the name of the underworld for themselves and basing their existence on the circles of evil.

"T… This… How…?"

Kisame grinned, for once taking pleasure in her fluster, but Itachi merely brushed past them, saying, "We need to take her to Satan. And remove the _jutsu_ from her eyes."

"S-Satan?"

"Our village leader," Kisame clarified, stepping up behind Hinata suddenly and covering her eyes with his hands. Chakra flowed though his palms and into her consciousness, pulsing like the light of the candles, but with a blue glow. The energy throbbed faster and faster within her dark mind, until it became a solid radiance, which suddenly shattered, breaking the candle's _genjutsu_ on her vision. She felt slightly disoriented when Kisame let her go and she wobbled for a moment before righting herself and scampering to catch up to the two men who were heading towards a staircase partially hidden by the waterfall. She missed Kisame's smirk as she gasped, finally seeing the rest of Tartarus.

A second waterfall, beginning from the endless round river of water where the first ended, washed down an additional three rings to settle into a moat, rounding a flattened ground from which protruded a tall tower, a silver moon above which rested with a slash along its equator. More people appeared and a bird suddenly took flight from the seventh rung, soaring up to meet them in hot, humid air.

Itachi's right eye twitched as the bird – a beautiful red-tailed hawk – landed gracefully on his head. Hinata gave a soft giggle as the most powerful man she'd ever heard of flailed about, attempting to rip out tail feathers as the hawk took off to flutter just out of reach. The noise of Hinata's embarrassed tittering and Kisame's loud guffaws, Itachi stilled, hunched his shoulders and glared at the taller man as though daring him to say anything. Quieting down to a chuckle and a smug grin, Kisame held out his arm and the hawk gently came to roost, talons gripping so expertly that the flesh didn't even discolor. He reached out and took the scroll hidden in a small leather pouch attached to the bird's leg, allowing it to take flight once more and (after dive-bombing Itachi once more) soar away. The shark's eyes flicked over the scroll before he stuffed it in his pocket, saying, "We're expected n the Tower. They want to see _her_," he jerked his head in Hinata's direction, "as soon as possible."

The lightness that had filled her at the messenger bird's antics was suddenly replaced with a feeling of dread that clutched at her heart like a lead weight. Her judgment was finally going to pass, she thought to herself as they began to move. She was finally going to get what was coming to her. Down the staircases, to each of the rings, she could feel burning gazes upon her, whispers behind her back echoing louder than the rushing waterfalls. Her eyes were lowered to her feet though somewhere in the back of her mind, she kept track of the staircases and which circle of hell they brought her to.

The Gluttons – punished by Cerberus slavering over them as they did in life while covered in filth… The Hoarders, the Wasters – each held down with weights as they punish the other… The Wrathful and the Sullen – buried under the black river Styx. Oh god – what if I am to be punished this way? If they take my life as I have lived it? How will they do it? Would I be Sullen? A Hypocrite? Violent against Neighbors? Or, oh gods, Treacherous against Blood Ties? I killed my family – they'll know, they'll know! – would they really freeze me?

Kisame gave the woman at his side an odd look as she began to hyperventilate, squeaking softly each time she inhaled. He watched hr face go whiter than he ever thought any living thing could go and saw her clench a fist to her chest. It was really amusing watching different levels of fear flash over her face and in her eyes, but it looked like she was about to pass out – something he was certain Itachi wouldn't enjoy in the least, no matter how relaxed he was to be back.

So… How could he bring her back and still continue to amuse himself?

I'm certain they will," Hinata's mind continued to shriek frantically. They have the power, the ability, the _reason_. They wouldn't even have to go very far – there's water all around here. I should have known this. I wouldn't have been let past the gates if they didn't want to do something to me. I

A hand suddenly grabbed her left breast and gave it a squeeze.

am going to _kill_ that shark!

Itachi turned around just in time to see Hinata's chakra-enforced fist connect with Kisame's nose, her stance full of righteous anger and her face flushed with a combination of rage and embarrassment and rage, tingeing her flesh an odd shade of red as Kisame flew a few feet to land flat on his back, blood dribbling down his chin. The woman wrapped her arms protectively about her chest and spat out, "Pervert."

"Sweet fuck, girlie," Kisame groaned out, though it was a bit muffled, as though his nose were broken. He pushed himself up on his elbows and gingerly touched his face, wincing slightly. "Where the hell'd you learn that, cause this hurts like a bitch."

Hinata bowed her head, but rage still smoldered in her eyes. "Forgive me," she ground out, not sounding remorseful at all.

"Goddamnit." The man pulled himself to his feet and smirked at Hinata, looking particularly demonic with blood smeared around his mouth. "I didn't think you'd apologize for that. Would you say sorry to your rapist?" He glanced at Itachi who was giving him a "you dumbass" look and grinned.

The smaller man's eye ticked but he said calmly, "We've arrived."

Hinata flinched and looked up at the tower they stood before, having been too lost in her own thoughts to notice how close they had gotten. Anger faded, leaving her empty inside. Her arms slid from her chest so she could clasp her hands together before her. Itachi eyes watched as everything left her, but he merely stepped past the two and into the tower.

"Satan is waiting for us."

* * *

Bleh… wrist hurts so I won't badger the muses. Just know that I don't own Naruto, so, till next time! 


End file.
